HX Expeditions announced in a press release a new excursion program in Arctic Canada, developed in partnership with Inuit Elders, local residents and community-born staff.

Launching in summer 2025, it marks the first community-led program of its scale to be introduced by a global cruise company in the region.

The excursions will be offered on HX’s 25-day Northwest Passage sailings: westbound from Greenland to Alaska aboard the MS Fridtjof Nansen, and eastbound from Alaska to Greenland aboard the Roald Amundsen.

A key member of the development team is Mariah Erkloo, an HX product planner and Inuk from Pond Inlet.

“This kind of collaboration is exactly what’s needed in Arctic tourism. It’s encouraging to see it begin in a way that centers Inuit voices and priorities. From the community side, if this model continues to grow with care, it will strengthen the experience for both locals and visitors. I look forward to seeing how it evolves and the lasting positive impact it will have for our communities and the people who travel through them,” said Erkloo.

This new series of community-led excursions will debut in Gjøa Haven, Pond Inlet and Cambridge Bay, communities in the eastern Canadian Arctic that can be visited only during the summer.

Each excursion offers an opportunity to engage with daily life, culture and traditions in the Canadian Arctic, through the perspective of the people there.

“These intimate excursions are an opportunity for travellers to create meaningful personal connections with local residents and experience the beauty of Inuit hospitality like never before,” said Chief Expedition Officer, Alex McNeil. “By keeping excursions to an average of 10 to 12 guests, we ensure each experience is personal and rooted in genuine exchange—offering a level of access, connection, and cultural integration you won’t find with other cruise lines,” said McNeil.

“It’s redefining what’s possible in Arctic travel,” added McNeil.

The new, community-led experiences include:

• Guided hikes to local landmarks with Inuit storytelling
• Participating in the lighting of the traditional Qilliq and learning its cultural significance
• “Arctic Conversations”: small-group discussions with community members about life in the North
• Arctic char fishing with local harvesters using traditional weir techniques
• Visiting summer cabins to learn how Inuit continue to live off the land
• Collaborative art-making sessions using techniques and materials unique to each region
• Storytelling with respected Elders sharing personal experiences and ancestral knowledge
• Joining community events like bingo, card games, or demonstrations of Arctic sports